Barron's 1100 Words You Need to Know » Week 17 - Day 4

Word List
  • exult [eg zult´]
    rejoice greatly
    → “YANKEES EXULT OVER PETTITTE’S PERFORMANCE” Headline, Sports Section, Newsday, 6/19/99
  • attest [ə test´]
    to certify
    → “Thousands of satisfied users can attest to the great features such as Voicemail and Caller ID that work the same way wherever you go on our network.” Newspaper ad for Internet company, New York Times, 6/12/99
  • gullible [gul´ ə bəl]
    easily cheated or fooled
    → “‘Charles the horse was wonderful!’ cried a gullible goose.” James Thurber, “What Happened to Charles”
  • deploy [di ploi´]
    to position forces according to a plan
    → “Eisenhower expressed the hope that the United States would not be the first to deploy a weapon so horrible.” David McCullough, Truman
  • enigma [i nig´ mə]
    riddle
    → “He was an enigma—by this I mean that he did not look soldierly nor financial nor artistic nor anything definite at all.” Max Beerbohm, “A.V. Laider”

The conspirators had reason to exult, for all evidence attested to the fact that the German High Command was gullible about “Major Martin.” Their defense troops were moved away from the true invasion sites and deployed to areas that were inconsequential. Subsequently, when the actual attack took place, Allied casualties were minimized. After the war, Commander Montagu received a medal from the king of England. At the presentation ceremony, the king politely inquired where the young officer had earned his citation. “At the Admiralty,” Montagu replied, presenting the king with a genuine enigma.

Sample Sentences Use the new words in the following sentences.

  1. Explaining that the bookkeeper was merely a __________ dupe,* the judge freed him from complicity* in the crime.
  2. As the audience watched the master __________ his chess pieces, they applauded his virtuosity.*
  3. An expert was summoned to __________ to the authenticity of the Rembrandts found in the Nazi cache* of stolen masterpieces.
  4. When Osama Bin Laden was killed, our public had reason to __________.
  5. I could not solve the __________ of why an altruistic* person should exhibit such cupidity.*

Definitions Match the new words with their meanings.

  1. a. to certify
  2. b. easily cheated or fooled
  3. c. to position forces according to a plan
  4. d. riddle
  5. e. rejoice greatly
  1. exult __________
  2. attest __________
  3. gullible __________
  4. deploy __________
  5. enigma __________

Answer Key
a chip off the old block—a son who is like his father (from the same block of wood)
When we saw the alcoholic’s son enter the liquor store, we assumed that he was a chip off the old block.

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